


Just One Little Thing Stops Me Every Time

by CaithyCat



Category: Andi Mack (TV), High School Musical (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-22 06:21:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaithyCat/pseuds/CaithyCat
Summary: Summary: T.J. and Cyrus (separately) get some unexpected advice from visiting strangers. (Hint: The title)





	1. Chapter 1

Whenever T.J. was in the zone, he couldn’t hear anything else. Not the squeaking of his sneakers against the pavement. Not the bounce of the basketball as it hit the backboard and swished into the net. Not even his own breathing.

But, right now, he could hear all of that – loud and clear. So, when he took a shot at the net, it made a loud “bam” sound as it bounced off the ring and back onto the ground. 

He cursed out loud, a word his mother would not approve of him saying at 14. 

Getting his hands on the ball again, he dribbled and made his way back towards the net, and pushed himself up into a layup. The ball spun around the ring once before falling off the edge.

This time, T.J. screamed out his frustration, dropping to the ground and holding his head in his hands, feeling defeated.

He couldn’t concentrate. There was too much on his mind. His grades were teetering towards failing again because he couldn’t focus. His coach was hounding him about shaping up for the next basketball game against the Raptors. Kira kept hogging all of his time and he barely had room to breathe. And he hadn’t spoken to Cyrus in days and had the feeling that his friend was avoiding him. 

“You would have made that if your head was in the game,” a new voice he didn’t recognize broke through his thoughts.

He looked up to see a man approaching him. 

Immediately, T.J.’s guards were up, “Stranger Danger” flashing in his head. It wasn’t everyday an adult would approach him when he was by himself at the park. 

But, the stranger simply picked up the stray ball, dribbled it a few times before taking a shot at the net. The ball didn’t even spin around the ring. It just went right in with a ‘swoosh’, bouncing against the court a few times before rolling towards T.J.’s feet.

“Whoa,” he couldn’t help but say out loud. 

The guy was good!

The guy picked up the ball and dribbled it again. “Wanna play a little one-on-one, kid?” he asked, smirking challengingly.

If there was one thing T.J. could _never_ resist, it was a little competition.

He pushed himself off the ground and the guy passed the ball over to him. 

Dribbling, he ran towards the net and tried to take a shot… until the guy snatched the ball out of the air, dribbled a few times, and took his own shot. It went right in.

T.J. glowered. “You’re taller than me,” was all he could come up with.

The guy tossed the ball back to him with a laugh. “That shouldn’t matter, kid! The kids I coach are shorter than me and they can steal the ball right from under my nose. Of course, they never win against me in a one-on-one, but hey, at least they try.”

With determination taking over his entire being now, T.J. dribbled past him, did a layup, and the ball went in this time. He flashed a cocky grin at the guy.

The stranger laughed again. “There you go!”

They played for several more rounds. In the end, the stranger won by 5 points. T.J. couldn’t keep up with an obvious professional who had probably been playing for years. But, nonetheless, he felt no hard feelings. Just relief and the thrill he got whenever he played a good game.

Collapsing on the ground, he shook out his hair, wet from perspiration. The guy handed him an unopened bottle of water, which he took, gratefully. 

“So…judging by the way you were playing before I showed up, something’s bothering you,” the stranger stated before taking a drink from his own water bottle.

T.J. stared at the water droplets dripping down the plastic. “It’s… nothing.”

He wasn’t sure if he could trust this stranger with his stuff.

The guy hummed. “But, you feel better now, right? Nothing a good game can’t fix.”

T.J. wouldn’t say his problems were fixed but he did feel a little bit better and his head felt clearer. 

“When I have a lot of stuff in my mind, I play ball, too,” the guy continued. “It’s always been that way since middle school. And most of the time, it works.” He flashed T.J. a pointed look. “And, sometimes, talking helps, too.”

Before he knew it, words were spilling out of T.J.’s mouth.

“I have this friend… and I think he’s mad at me but he won’t tell me why or what I did wrong. And it’s been bugging me because we’ve always been able to tell each other everything but lately… things just changed.”

The stranger pursed his lips. “Have you talked to him about this?”

T.J. shrugged. “Kind of? He told me he wasn’t avoiding me but… I don’t know. It feels like there’s this… space… between us that we never had before. And I don’t really like it. I just… I don’t know what to do.”

The stranger hummed. “That sounds rough, kid. I’m sorry.”

T.J. did feel a little better. “Thanks.”

“I mean… do you know what caused it? When it started?”

Of course, he knew. 

Costume Day.

When he made a jerk move and left Cyrus to do their half of a costume that T.J., himself, proposed just to do one with Kira.

“I… kind of… left him when I made a commitment,” he admitted. 

“For a girl?”

T.J. felt the shame creeping in. “Yeah.”

“Oof. The ultimate friendship breaker between two guys.” The stranger shook his head and chuckled a little. “You know, back in high school, my friendship with my best friend since diapers almost ended because I got jealous of this girl he kept hanging out with. Of course, in the end, I realized that trying to break them up was the wrong move ‘cause it just made him miserable. So, I just kind of accepted it and you know that? I’m glad I did. She’s a wonderful woman. They’re married now. So, I’m sure your friend will come around and accept that.”

It was a sweet story but that was nothing like what T.J. was going through.

“But, that’s the thing. I’m not even dating her! We’re just friends! Why does everyone keep thinking we’re dating?! I don’t like her! I don’t like girls! I…” He froze, realizing what he just accidentally revealed to this stranger. Fear gripped his entire being, his guards up once again. “I… I mean…” 

He got ready to bolt. Just grab his bag and his ball and run far, far, far away from this stranger who suddenly knew his deepest and most hidden secret.

“Ahhh, so it’s like that,” the guy just said, nodding and his calm demeanor made T.J. pause. “I get it.”

That reaction just ruffled T.J.’s feathers. “No, you don’t!”

The guy didn’t take offense. He just smiled. “Actually, I do.” He tilted his head to the side, looking contemplative. “The moment when you realized that part of yourself, you can’t help but wish you were anything else but that. You’re probably scared of other people finding out so you keep quiet, hoping it would go away. Then, you meet that one person who makes all that feel… okay. And, finally, you can’t imagine being anything else but that.” He looked up at T.J. with a smile. “At least, that was how it went for me.”

T.J. blinked, the wheels in his brain turning and smoking with the revelation. “You’re…” 

His voice got stuck in his throat and he swallowed. He had never even said the words out loud himself. 

“Yeah, I’m gay,” the guy stated, like he was just telling him the time of day. “And proud of it.” 

“Oh.” T.J. struggled to find the right words to respond with. “That’s… cool.”

The stranger chuckled. “So… this friend of yours…”

He let the words hang in the air.

T.J. swallowed. He had already revealed much about himself. Might as well go all the way. 

“He’s… important… special…” he confessed. 

“I figured that was the case.”

“Yeah… But… Like I said… I think he’s mad at me and avoiding me.” He groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Maybe he’s jealous of this girl you’ve been hanging out with.”

T.J. considered it but why would Cyrus be jealous? There was nothing between him and Kira!

“Do you think maybe he feels the same about you?” the stranger proposed.

Those words brought about the longing in his heart. “I doubt it. Cyrus isn’t… gay. I think.”

Sure, there seemed to be subtle hints because T.J. liked to watch him, sometimes (it’s not creepy!) but he was trying not to stereotype.

He took a peek at the stranger. “How did you figure it out?” Then, realizing that it may be rude to ask, he added, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“That I was gay?”

T.J. nodded.

The stranger hummed before a fond smile graced his lips. “It was all because of baseball.”

At the unexpected answer, T.J. frowned. “Baseball? I thought you played basketball.”

The stranger chuckled. “Yeah, but I also played baseball in high school. But, long story short, there was this baseball game at the place I worked at, during the summer of my senior year. All the staff was a part of it. We were against someone very…unexpected.” At this, his smile widened. “Let’s just say that I saw my husband in a different light during that game.”

T.J.’s eyes widened. “You’re married?!”

The stranger raised his left hand where he could now see a white gold band wrapped around his ring finger.

The man was married… to another man.

“That’s possible?” T.J. asked out loud.

The man laughed as he put his hand down. “It’s legal in a lot of states now, kid. Luckily, he and I live in one of those states. New York.”

“You’re not from Shadyside?”

“No, we’re here on business. Well, more for my husband than me. He’s guest teaching a dance class as a favor to an old college classmate. He just couldn’t resist and since it’s just for the weekend, I figured I’d go with him.”

T.J. bit his lip, feeling oddly jealous of this adult who seemed to have his life together. And he seemed happy and had no regrets. So… was it truly possible for him?

“You look like you have something you want to ask.”

T.J. looked at him, hoping the anxiety didn’t show on his face. “Does it get easier?” he asked, softly.

The stranger’s lighthearted demeanor turned serious all of a sudden. For a few moments, he stayed quiet, as if contemplating what to say to T.J. 

It didn’t help the poor boy’s nerves but he stayed still and anticipating. He needed to know. 

“I can’t say that things are easier for us compared to straight people out there,” the man finally answered, sounding like he was carefully choosing his words. “But… I can say that I found peace accepting who I was… and along the way, I was lucky enough to find someone who loves me the same way I love him.” He let out a soft laugh. “It’s kinda funny, how we barely acknowledged each other at school before that baseball game. And after that, we became really good friends and, even though it took a while because I was in denial about the whole thing, things just... fell into place. Honestly, I can’t imagine going through the rest of my life without him.” 

Listening to the guy, T.J. could relate. Cyrus’ unexpected arrival in his life definitely threw a curveball at him.

Cyrus and his pretty brown eyes and cute mole and kind demeanor and utter belief in the goodness in him... T.J. was already a goner the very first moment they met.

The stranger raised a hand and patted T.J.’s back. “You’re still young, you have a lot to figure out about yourself and a lot more to go through. But, this person that’s special to you? Whether you end up dating them or just staying friends, if you trust them to always be with you through the hard times, I can promise you that you _will_ get through those hard times until you can finally tell yourself that you _are_ happy.”

With every word, T.J. felt a bit of his anxiety disappearing. It was still there, of course. The anxiety for his future. But, imagining Cyrus being there by his side through it all… he knew, deep inside him, that Cyrus will accept him no matter what because that was just the type of person he was… it made him strong enough to face whatever came his way. 

“At the end of the day, kid, the people that truly love and care about you will be the only people who will matter. No one else. So, hold your head up. You got this.”

For the first time all afternoon, T.J. felt himself smile. “Thanks. I… I really needed that.”

The stranger patted him on the back again. “No problem, kid. Happy to help.” 

A phone beeped and knowing it wasn’t his because it was in his backpack on the bench, T.J. just watched as the stranger fished out his own phone from his pocket. 

“Ahhh, I gotta go pick up the hubby.” He got to his feet and T.J. followed. The guy smiled at him. “You should get in touch with your friend. Try to spend time with him regardless of everything. And, when you’re ready to talk about it, tell him. If he’s as important and special as you say, I’m sure he’ll accept you no matter what.”

T.J. had no doubt Cyrus would. One of these days, he would have enough courage to tell him. But, for now, he just needed his friend back.

The stranger held out a hand to him. “Well, it was nice meeting you, uh…”

“T.J.,” he supplied, taking the hand and giving it a shake.

The man nodded. “Nice meeting you, T.J.”

“You too. And, thank you, uh…”

The man smiled. “Chad. Chad Danforth.”

T.J. nodded. “Thank you, Chad Danforth.”

The man - Chad - began to walk away sending one last wave at him. 

T.J. watched his form get smaller and smaller before walking over to a bench to his bag. Taking out his phone, he sat down. He opened up his texts, scrolling to his messages with Cyrus.

Smiling, he began to text.


	2. Chapter 2

As the other students made their way out of the studio, Cyrus chose to stay on the floor as exhaustion took over every muscle in his body.

He didn’t know why he decided to come to the dance studio for a class in order to clear his mind.

What possessed him?!?! Did he forget that he was terrible at dancing?!?! That he had two left feet?!?! 

That day, the studio had a special guest teacher fly in from New York to teach a class – he was a choreographer for several Broadway productions. And, suffice to say, the man was brutal! His routines were complicated and he took no pity on anyone, not even on a beginner and non-dancer like Cyrus.

For what it was worth, though, the man was kind of pretty, in a masculine sort of way. Cyrus was confident enough to admit that to himself now whenever he found someone of the male species attractive.

A sudden tightening in his leg muscles interrupted his musings.

Releasing a pained groan, he reached out with a hand to try and massage the cramp.

“Hey, you okay?”

Cyrus looked up to see the guest teacher looking down at him in concern.

“Yes, sir. It’s just a cramp. No biggie.”

The teacher shook his head, his bright yellow hat shaking with the movement (why did the guy wear hats when they were indoors, anyway?). The man dropped his bag on the floor before sitting cross-legged across from Cyrus.

“May I?” The man gestured to his leg.

Cyrus nodded, giving his permission.

The teacher reached out and replaced Cyrus’ hand. Gently and with much care, he massaged the cramp.

“You don’t dance much, do you?” the man asked, matter-of-factly.

Cyrus scoffed. “I don’t dance, in general.”

The teacher laughed. “Oh, really? I know you can, kid. I saw you! I pay attention to all of my students! You just need a little more work. It took me years to get to the level I’m at now.”

Cyrus shrugged. “Well, I wasn’t really trying to get to your level. I just… needed a distraction.”

He had mumbled the last part to himself but it turned out that the man had great hearing.

“Oh? Must be that bad if you decided to go to a dance class if you can’t dance.”

Cyrus blushed.

The teacher chuckled and continued to massage the boy’s leg until the cramp slowly dissipated.

“There you go,” he beamed, patting Cyrus’ knee. “Take it easy, okay? You might feel the aftereffects on your leg later so if it’s too much, just take an ibuprofen.”

“Thanks… uh…”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Wow, I should be offended that you don’t even know my name! I acted and toured in Broadway for 5 years, you know!”

Cyrus grinned, sheepishly. “That sounds amazing. For you, I mean! I’m not really the type to like the spotlight. I prefer being behind the scenes. Like directing and screenwriting and all that.”

“Sounds like my old friend, Kelsi. She’s a composer but she and I did our fair share of directing our school musicals back in high school. Well, when my sister wasn’t trying to make everything about her, that is.” He let out a fond laugh. “But, all in all, we both did pretty well for ourselves. Even my sister! Living in squalor for a little while mellowed her out a bit.”

A wistful look settled on the man’s face, making Cyrus tilt his head in curiosity. The blonde was chatty, that was for sure.

“You know, I’m not getting picked up for a few more minutes,” the guy continued, flashing Cyrus a kind smile as he moved beside him. “If you want to talk about whatever’s bothering you, a person you probably won’t see ever again can be a good listener.”

And, apparently, he was also kind of nosy. 

Strangely, his calm and comforting demeanor made Cyrus think that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to talk to the guy. 

As the son of therapists, he was aware of the benefits of talking about your feelings and letting your emotions out. He didn’t mind talking to Andi and Buffy but, at the moment, they had their own issues and Cyrus didn’t want to add to them.

It must be why he found himself talking.

“I have this friend,” he began, carefully. “And he’s been hanging out with this… girl. And… she’s not the nicest person around but they’re friends so…” He sighed. “It’s not like I can stop him from hanging out with his own friends, you know? But… Sometimes…”

He trailed off, feeling his chest clench.

The teacher flashed him a curious look. “Sometimes?”

“Sometimes… I wish he wouldn’t hang out with her,” Cyrus confessed, feeling a little ashamed at the selfish thought.

The guy hummed. “I see. Well, if you think this girl is a bad person, I get why you’re concerned.”

“He spends all his time with her!” Cyrus blurted out, feeling frustration taking over him. “We don’t even hang out as much as we used to anymore and I just… I miss him! But, I don’t think he misses me.”

He looked up to see the guy pursing his lips in deep thought.

“Are you jealous?”

Cyrus’ mouth fell open. “W-What?”

“Are you jealous?” the blonde man repeated. “And, it’s okay if you are. We are all susceptible to jealousy, it’s just human nature. So, are you?”

Cyrus wanted to lie, but he was never good at it. Lying gave him the heebie jeebies. So, he told the truth.

“Yeah… I guess I am. And I hate it! I wish it would just go away. It would make everything so much easier if I didn’t feel this way.”

The teacher hummed. “And… it also sounds to me… like there’s more to your jealousy than just missing your friend.”

Cyrus could practically feel his heart stop.

Was the guy implying what Cyrus thought he was implying?

The knowing look sent his way made his heart drop to his stomach.

He was so careful to hide his true feelings. And even though he had accepted himself as gay for some time now, he still wasn’t comfortable telling other people, especially strangers. He wasn’t even out to his parents yet!

How did this guy who had been talking to him for only 5 minutes already figure it out? What gave him away?

The blonde must have noticed his discomfort and flashed him a kind smile. “You don’t have to confirm anything. But, if it makes you comfortable…”

He raised his left hand and Cyrus could now see the white gold band on his ring finger.

“I’m married… to a man.”

Cyrus felt his mouth open. “O-Oh…”

He had never met a gay adult before. He always wished he had so he could ask them questions. Yet, here was one now, right in front of him.

He had so many things he wanted to ask.

Was he going to be okay?

Were people going to accept him?

Was he going to find love?

Yet, he couldn’t voice them out.

“So, I get what it’s like to be jealous of a girl,” the man stated, leaning back with his hands on the floor. “Back in high school, the guy I had a crush on had a girlfriend. She was beautiful, nice, smart, and quite headstrong. Everyone thought they were a perfect match.” He chuckled. “Gosh, I was so jealous! But, I had to hide it and pretend it didn’t hurt every time I saw them together. Senior year, I asked Kelsi to prom since I figured, might as well go with a friend, right? And he was there with his girlfriend. I taught him how to dance, you know? And he danced with her all night. And I danced with Kelsi all night. So, that was that. It was the status quo.”

Cyrus could hear the wistfulness in the man’s voice and wondered if ten or fifteen years from now, he would be talking about T.J. to some other gay kid who needed a bit of comfort and advice.

“How did you get over him?” he asked.

To his surprise, the man laughed and shook his head.

“I never really got over him. I guess it was one of those kinds of crushes that just evolved into something deeper.” He sighed, deeply. “We were friends but we didn’t really get close until after we both left for college. He stayed in Albuquerque and I went to New York. We were almost two thousand miles apart but, somehow, our friendship stayed intact. He and his girlfriend broke up. His best friend moved to California to be closer to his own girlfriend. And… well… I guess being in the same University as my sister reminded him that I existed.” He laughed. “Next thing I knew, he was asking me out, moved to New York during our junior year and then five years later, he asked me to marry him.”

Cyrus gasped, his eyes wide and his mouth open (again!)

It was the ultimate love story with a happy ending.

A love story Cyrus wished he could also have.

“I’m not saying that the same thing would happen with you and your friend,” the blonde man said, sounding serious for the first time. “I don’t know how your friend feels. But, I am saying that you shouldn’t take your friendship for granted. He sounds like someone very important to you and you don’t want to lose that just because you’re jealous of a girl. At the end of the day, you two are still friends and that’s a connection that’s special and unique to the both of you. Treasure it always.”

Cyrus _did_ treasure his friendship with T.J. It was the only thing he was holding to throughout this whole Kira situation. But, old insecurities that never really disappeared kept moving to the forefront of his mind.

“I don’t know why he even wanted to be friends with me,” he said, softly. “I mean, he has more in common with her than with me. They both play basketball and are really good at it. I can’t even run up a hill without falling. We’re too… different.”

“Hmm... Well, here’s another thing. My husband was the second best player on our high school basketball team and I was in the Drama Club. For the first 3 years of high school, he and I rarely talked. He was all slogan shirts and baggy jeans while my hats always matched my shoes. He hates musicals while I live and breathe them.” The blonde man flashed Cyrus a cheeky smile. “Trust me, we barely had anything in common either. Yet, here we are.” He knocked Cyrus’ shoulder with his own. “And… a little hope never hurt anyone.”

After T.J. started hanging out with Kira, Cyrus had lost all hope of him ever possibly returning his feelings. 

Perhaps, T.J. never did and Cyrus simply made himself fall into delusions of grandeur.

But, before he could say anything else, the sound of the door opening caught his ears.

Both he and the teacher looked up to see a man with dark curly hair entering.

He was frowning. “I thought you were going to wait outside for me, Ry.”

The blonde man chuckled as he got to his feet, picked up his bag, and walked over to the newcomer. Cyrus followed, curiosity getting the best of him.

“Sorry, babe. Got caught up talking to, uh… I’m sorry, what was your name again?”

“Cyrus.”

“Cyrus,” the man repeated, holding a hand out for him to shake. “Nice to meet you. I’m Ryan Evans. And this is my husband, Chad Evans.”

The other man growled, looking offended. “Danforth!”

The man, Ryan, chuckled. “He’s still in denial that he’s an Evans now.”

The husband, Chad, wrinkled his nose as he placed an arm over the blonde’s shoulders. “Sharing the same last name as your sister? No, thanks! And, you’re also a Danforth, Evans! Don’t you forget that!”

“Of course not, honey.” The blonde leaned in rubbed his nose against the other man’s before turning to Cyrus. “Legally, we hyphened our last names but it’s just easier to go with the ones we’re used to.”

“And if you’ve met his sister, you wouldn’t want people to know you’re related to her, even if it’s by marriage,” said Chad, looking disturbed.

Ryan rolled his eyes before shaking his head. “Thanksgiving is like a war zone with them,” he stated, fondly. “Anyway, we have to go. Our flight back to New York is tonight and we still have to pack and everything. It was nice meeting you, Cyrus. I hope things work out between you and your friend. And, take my advice. Don’t let this one thing get in the way of what you guys have. Trust me.” His gaze went to his husband who flashed him a questioning look. “You never know what might happen.”

Truth be told, Cyrus was still very unsure but he appreciated the advice. Besides, seeing the two men, looking different as can be (Ryan wasn’t exaggerating about the slogan shirts) but so happy and content, perhaps he could welcome a little hope in his heart for things to work out with T.J.

“Thank you,” he said to the blonde, giving him an appreciative smile. “It means a lot to hear that. And… to see you both. Maybe, there’s hope for me after all.”

Ryan nodded, his husband looking a bit confused beside him.

With one last wave goodbye, the couple turned and headed out the door.

Cyrus watched them leave, oddly jealous of the way Ryan had his arm wrapped around Chad’s waist whereas Chad’s own arm was over Ryan’s shoulder, both holding each other close.

T.J. liked to hold him like that, too, sometimes. When they walked side-by-side, the taller boy would just fling an arm around him, not realizing how he sent Cyrus’ heart into overdrive with the simple action.

Sighing to himself, Cyrus walked over to his bag and took out his phone to check the time.

There was a text message waiting for him from T.J., sent 10 minutes ago.

**Are you free today? Wanna hang out?**

Feeling a smile tug at his lips as his heart fluttered, Cyrus replied immediately. **Sorry for the late response. I was at dance class. I’m free now.**

**Awesome! Where are you? I’ll pick you up.**

Cyrus texted him the place before tucking his phone back into his bag and picking it up so he could head to the bathroom to change and freshen up before T.J. arrived.

And, this time, if Kira decided to show up and interrupt their fun, Cyrus would make sure that he wasn’t leaving.

He wasn’t going to take his time with T.J. for granted. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and supported this little three-shot! It was fun and finally got some Chyan out of my system!

Chad waited until they were out of the studio and walking down the pathway towards the street to start talking. He had removed his arm from Ryan’s shoulder so he could hold his hand.

“So, what was that about?” he casually asked, internally smiling when his husband subtly started swinging their entwined hands between them.

“The kid looked like he had gone through hell and back.” Ryan shrugged. “Figured I’d lend him an ear. His face reminded me of… well… me. Back in the day.” He flashed Chad a pointed look. “When I was _pining_ for someone.”

“Middle school or high school?” Chad playfully questioned.

His husband pouted. “Take a wild guess, basketball guy.”

Chad pretended to roll his eyes, but couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips. Ryan had always been cute when he pouted. It was one of the things that made Chad question his sexuality for years before coming to the conclusion that he was gay in college.

Well, that and the way Ryan moved when he danced and how his eyes twinkled when he would talk about dancing and musicals and the subtle way he would playfully flirt with Chad when he watched basketball practices and his soft, fluffy hair and the habit of wearing tight pants and… yeah, Chad should have been clued in pretty early on. 

His sexuality crisis was a rollercoaster of denial, hesitant acceptance, denial again, attempt to date girls and hoping he could feel some attraction, and eventual acceptance for good.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him you hated me back then,” Ryan continued.

Placing a hand over his heart in mock offense, Chad denied, “I didn’t hate you! I was just… indifferent. You know… until that baseball game.”

Ryan hummed. “Ahhh, the infamous baseball game. The time when I showed you exactly which way I swing.” He flirtatiously winked at Chad. “I wanted to impress you by winning.”

Chuckling, Chad pulled on his hand and brought him close to his side before wrapping an arm over his shoulder.

“You did impress me. We wouldn’t be married, otherwise.”

Chad wouldn’t have had a reason to talk to Ryan. Admittedly, he was quite stubborn in his teen years and probably wouldn’t have taken the first step to be friendly towards East High’s self-proclaimed Drama King. And Ryan was equally stubborn.

It was baseball that pushed them together.

As if reading his mind, Ryan stated, “Can you imagine what would have happened if I didn’t accept Gabi and Taylor’s invitation to play baseball with you, guys?”

“You sister would have gotten her way, you wouldn’t have won the star award thingy...”

“Star Dazzle Award!”

“… and we wouldn’t have become friends.” At the disturbing thought, Chad couldn’t help but bring his husband closer. “Honestly, I can’t imagine not being friends with you. Or not having you in my life, Ry.”

The mischief in Ryan’s eyes softened into an adoring twinkle. The arm he had wrapped around Chad’s waist tightened.

“Me neither,” he agreed before pressing a light peck to Chad’s cheek.

Ryan was always the more affectionate of the two of them and never cared if they were in public.

The couple continued on their way, not really in a hurry to go back to the hotel so soon. Their life in New York was pretty hectic, with Chad at school teaching all day and Ryan often stuck inside the dance studio choreographing until showtime. It was nice to have this alone time to themselves.

“So, what were you talking about with the kid back there?” Chad asked, curious. “It sounded serious.”

Ryan hummed. “He was having a bit of a crisis with a friend.” He grinned at Chad. “He’s jealous of this girl his friend has been hanging out with. And, if you ask me, it sounds like this friend could be _more_ than a friend.” He chuckled, fondly. “It kind of reminded me of when you and Taylor were dating and I was trying so hard not to be jealous of her but… well… I liked you a lot so it was pretty difficult.”

Chad frowned. “You were jealous of Taylor?” he questioned, wondering how he missed it all these years.

His husband laughed. “I was a better actor than I thought then if you never figured it out!” He poked Chad’s side, playfully. “Anyway, I just wanted to help. You know, give him a little advice.”

“Hmm, that’s funny. I gave some random life advice to a kid, too. While I was at the park waiting for you to be done with your class, I saw this kid playing basketball. He didn’t have his head in the game. The ball was all over the place. Clearly, something was bothering him so I stepped in.”

“Oh? What was it that was bothering him?”

“I think he had a crush on his friend but he thinks he messed up ‘cause he’s been hanging out with this girl and…” He trailed off as he paused in his tracks, the wheels in his brain turning. “Wait…”

Ryan flashed him a questioning look. “What?”

“That kid you were talking to… his name was Cyrus?”

“Yes, that’s what he said. Why?”

“T.J…. that’s the kid from the park… he said his friend’s name is Cyrus…”

Chad could see Ryan’s own wheels turning.

“And Cyrus is jealous of a girl his friend has been hanging out with…” the blonde stated.

“And T.J. says he’s been hanging out with a girl and upsetting the friend he has a crush on…” Chad added.

Ryan furrowed his brows as he turned his head to look back at the dance studio building. “Do you think…?”

Chad followed his gaze. “They’re one and the same? Yeah, I think so.”

“Huh…” Ryan chuckled as he turned back to look at him. “What are the odds of that?”

Chad shrugged. “It’s the universe at work.”

“Since when did you believe in that stuff?”

Chad turned towards his husband, wrapping his hands around the latter’s arms. 

“Since you and I got together, I guess? I mean, what were the odds of Sharpay just walking in on me in the middle of my identity crisis and knocking some sense into me?”

“Wait, what?”

Oh, Chad had never told him that part. It was kind of a secret he was hoping to take to his grave because it was kind of humiliating. Plus, Sharpay would never let him live it down.

Well, he supposed he couldn’t keep it a secret now.

“Remember freshman year of college and you came home for winter break but Troy and everyone else didn’t so I was kinda lonely?”

Ryan smiled, softly. “We spent it together. I went to your house for Christmas and you came to mine for New Year’s.”

“Yeah…” Chad took Ryan’s hands in his. “I was… pretty confused, I told you that part.”

Ryan hummed in agreement.

“The week before Spring break, you called me to say you were coming home. And I was so excited and nervous and... confused as to why I was so darn excited. So, naturally, I tried to play basketball by myself. Emphasis on _try_.”

His husband chuckled but didn’t say anything else.

“I… kind of almost hit your sister on the head with the basketball when she walked in.”

“What?!” Ryan’s eyes widened in shock.

“It was an accident!” Chad immediately defended. “I was frustrated so I threw the ball somewhere and Sharpay just happened to walk in and it flew past her head! That was when she gave me a good earful of how stupid I was being, that I was leading you on, and if I had feelings for you, I should just tell you and ask you out and… yeah.”

“How come she never told me about this?”

“Cause I kind of… begged her not to?”

“Oh… my… god.”

“I was already embarrassed!”

“We got together because of my sister?!”

“Don’t give her credit! Her head is big enough!”

“Oh my god!”

“Ryan!” Chad squeezed his hands. “Look, it doesn’t matter now, okay? I got past my sexual identity crisis, we got together, and we’re happy. That’s all that matters, okay?”

His gaze softening, the blonde let out a soft chuckle. “Okay. I just… can’t believe you and Sharpay never told me! I thought for sure she’d brag about this for the rest of our lives!”

“Well, she can be surprisingly nice if she wants to be.”

Ryan narrowed her eyes at him, suspiciously. “What did she make you do?”

His husband knew his own sister all too well.

“I may or may not have been her servant for a full year. You know, fetched her lattes and carried her books to class and broke up with dudes for her. I was like her personal assistant and bodyguard rolled into one.”

“Oh my god!”

Laughing, Chad brought one of Ryan’s hands up to his lips to press a kiss to his knuckles. “Hey, it was worth it in the end.”

Ryan squeezed his hand as he hummed. “Alright, I suppose the end justified the means. I guess the universe knows what it’s doing every now and then.”

“And who knows?” Chad let go of one of his hands and held on to the other so they could start walking again. “Maybe the universe has plans for those two kids we met today.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah.”

Ryan began swinging their entwined hands again. “I hope it works out for them.”

“Me too.”

“Alright, let’s head back to the hotel and pack so I can nap before our flight. I’m exhausted!”

Laughing, Chad pulled him close and wrapped an arm over his husband’s shoulders again, loving the way the other pressed against his side.

What an interesting end to their weekend.

Hopefully, they managed to help out those two boys. Who knows? Maybe they would find the same happiness Chad and Ryan eventually did. It took many years and a lot of hoops to jump through just to get to where they were now.

But, as long as those two braved it out together, nothing could stop them.

Chad had no doubt about it.

* * *

Nervous yet excited, Cyrus tried to run things he wanted to say to T.J. when he arrived in his head.

_Hi. How you doin’?_

_Hey, wassup?_

_What goes on, Teej dawg?_

“Hey, Cyrus!”

“H-Hey,” was what Cyrus ended up with.

T.J. grinned sheepishly at him. “Thanks for coming out with me.”

Cyrus shrugged, playing it cool. “Anytime. I was free, anyway. And I missed you.”

He didn’t mean for that last part to come out, but to his relief, T.J. just continued to smile.

“Me too.”

The heat pooled in Cyrus’ cheeks and he cleared his throat. “So… will Kira be joining us today?”

He wished he could take back the question when T.J.’s face fell.

“Um, no, she’s doing something else. Not really sure what, though. But, I figured we could have this day to ourselves, you know? We haven’t hung out just the two of us in a while and… I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

T.J. was pouting now, looking like a kicked puppy. “Neglecting you. I know I’ve been hanging out with Kira a lot and I didn’t mean to make you feel like you aren’t important to me. Cause you are! You’re… one of my most important friends and I don’t want to lose you.”

Cyrus felt his blush deepen, the heat now reaching his ears. He hoped T.J. didn’t notice.

“I’m sorry, too,” he stated, sincerely. “I’ve been distant because I’m… jealous. I just miss hanging out with you. But, I shouldn’t let those feelings get in the way of our friendship because you’re important to me too and I also don’t want to lose you.”

Finally smiling, T.J. let out a soft chuckle. “We’re both oblivious idiots, huh?”

“Totally,” Cyrus agreed, laughing. “So! We have the day to ourselves, what do you wanna do?”

“Uhhh, I haven’t thought that far ahead.” T.J. pursed his lips in thought. “Uhhh… batting cages? I don’t know if you’ve ever played baseball but it’s pretty fun and I can teach you how to swing and everything and… yeah.”

T.J. turned into a cute shade of pink. 

Well, Cyrus had never played baseball before. He had a fear of missing and the ball hitting him on the face. Or accidentally hitting himself with the bat on the face. Or trying to run to home base, trip on his feet, and fall flat on his face. Baseball was a dangerous sport.

He almost declined but then he looked into T.J.’s pretty green eyes. How hopeful, excited, and anxious they were.

And he remembered that for all the “dangerous” things T.J. had encouraged him to do, he never once put Cyrus in danger and always made sure he was safe.

The batting cages would be no different. And he wanted to spend time with T.J.

Smiling, Cyrus tilted his head. “Sure, sounds fun! Let’s go!”

Side-by-side, the two boys headed off together, their hands occasionally brushing as they walked.


End file.
